Our 6th class pupils have begun tracking the colour changes in four leaves on a silver birch tree. They are collecting this data as part of the @GLOBEIreland Colourfall project.
We are one of 30 schools in Ireland taking part in this project.
Green-down marks the end of the growing season for many plants.
A colour change is generally associated with green-down of leaves. The colour will vary by species.
Plant green-down is also called senescence. It is initiated when environmental conditions change:
Fewer hours of sunlight and lower temperatures in temperate regions.
Drier and warmer temperatures in desert areas.
Scientists use data from a NASA sensor, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectometer (MODIS), to monitor the seasonal dynamics of vegetation.
Ground observations are critical to improve the interpretation of satellite data. Green up/down data gathered by GLOBE students, using consistent methods all over the world, offers a way to verify the accuracy of these satellite products.
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